Governors Island one step closer to rezoning for development

Officials gathering input ahead of public-review process

The Trust for Governors Island held its first meeting this week to rezone part of the urban oasis for 4.5 million square feet of development, the equivalent of more than three Chrysler Buildings.

The organization sat down with a Manhattan community board Monday as part of the trust’s effort to solicit input from stakeholders in nearby neighborhoods, along with park and waterfront advocates, before settling on what it plans to seek in a public-review process by the end of the year.

“We are going forward with a proactive plan that is publicly defined, rather than one that is simply reacting to market conditions,” trust President Michael Samuelian said.

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The rezoning must meet certain conditions. A 2010 master plan laid the groundwork for 43 acres of new parkland that was completed last year, but the island’s deed stipulates that the trust must cover its own operating and maintenance costs.

To that end, the master plan also set aside 33 acres along the island’s northwest and southeast edges for a pair of development sites that could bring in cash through privately built hotels, dorms or office buildings for commercial tenants, academic institutions or cultural organizations.

The land is zoned for residential development, but the trust is prevented from building housing by a 2003 agreement with the federal government. Instead, Samuelian is hoping for a rezoning that would offer the flexibility to plan several types of buildings. The trust said it is mostly proposing heights ranging from 75 to 125 feet tall, with a few uses including hotels or dorms that could reach 300 feet. Conversely, some office buildings could feature 100,000-square-foot floor plates while only rising a few stories.

“That’s a building type you don’t really get in Manhattan,” he said. “But it could be very valuable for the types of tenants we are trying to attract.”

Crain’s reported in the summer on the trust’s efforts to lure new tenants and activate more than 1 million square feet of historic building space that had fallen into disrepair in the island’s historic district. Rezoning the development parcels is the next step.

After months of gathering input, the trust aims to enter the roughly yearlong public review process by December. Should the rezoning eventually be approved, the trust envisions issuing a request for proposals in 2020.

Rezonings in New York are often controversial, especially when parks are involved. In addition, City Councilwoman Margaret Chin has gone to great lengths to stymie projects she dislikes. However, Chin is also on the trust’s board. And Samuelian said that contrary to many projects where the development comes first and the public park later, in this case, the order is reversed.

Will all that be enough to ensure a smooth passage through the review process?